Rear-end assembly for power-driven vehicles



April '10, 1928.

E. F. NORELIUS REAR END ASSEMBLY FOR POWER DRIVEN VEHICLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1' Filed Nov 6. 1925 Emil FLNuralius GHQ: new

E. F. NORELIUS REAR END A SSEMBLY FOR POWER 15RIVEN VEHICLES April 10, 1928.

2 Sheets-Sheet 3.

Filed. Nov. 192.5

I gnuenkot Emil F- NnrElius Sworn:

mm NW lllllllll Y Patented Apr. lO, 1928.

UNITED STATES Em I. INORELIUS, OF DAVENPORT, IOWA.

Application filed Ilovember e, 1925. Serial No. 67,418.

(GRANTED UNDER THE PBOVISIONB OF THE ACT 01 MARCH 8, 1883, 22 STAT. In, 625.).

This invention relates to a rear end assembly for power driven vehicles and is particularly designed for use in tractors which may utilize wheel or belt traction, one form being readily substituted for the other.

In devising the present construction for original application to tractors, particular attention has been directed to the specific adaptations of the rear assembly to existing types of tractors, where, especially inconverting a" wheeled tractor, such for example as the Fordson, into a belt or track laying tractor, it is desirable to accomplish the transition by substituting a rear assembly without interfering with. the standard characteristics of the vehicle and without requiring undue modification, if any, of the power connections. This latter is dependent upon the type of differential employed and it may be necessary to substitute for instance, a controlled differential or steering clutch whereby provision for steering the track laying vehicle may be incorporated in the central control unit. With a view principally to creating from commercial wheeled tractors, either through modified or directinterchangeability, a potential reserve of track laying tractors applicable especially for military use, the present invention assumes its form.

1 This invention to be disclosed will deal fundamentally with the rear assembly housings andthe final reduction units of the power transmission, the assumption being bein bar orqcouphn a trailed vehicle. Within the housings ad acent thewheels or sprockets made for the sake of clarity that a central control unit capable of efiecting steering of parallel self-laying tracks may, without disadvantage, be initially incorporated or substituted in lieuof the conventional differential between the main drive shaft and the driven counter-shafts of the. commercial wheeled tractor.

According to the invention, I provide specially designed axle housings securable to the housing of the central control unit and containing the final drive units. The outer extremities of .jthe housings are rearwardly inclined and carry a through shaft for supporting the driving wheels or the track drive sprockets, the central portion of the shaft properly bracketed to form a draw are mounted brake drums to assist in steerand combination of elements, described herenafter and pointed out in the claims formconsists in the construction, arrangement,

mg a part of. this specification.

A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein: I Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation, parts removed, of a track laying tractor embodying the features of construction forming the subect matter of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear view thereof, showing in dotted lines the form of axle housings in a Fordson tractor; r

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view through the front idler; and i Fig. is a detail view showing the forward suspension.

Referring to the drawings by characters ble of conversion from wheel to belt traction and vice versa or in providing conversion units susceptlble of adaptation to exlstlng tractors, a consideration of the rear assembly need only be involved. In the drawings, the Fordson tractor has been used as a basis for application of the improved rear assembly, and there is shown the conventional body of the tractor consisting of the engine A and crank case B, to both of which is secured the transmission housing 0, which extends to the rear of the vehicle and terminates in the differential housin C, flanged for attachment of the rear. axle ousings D (shown in dotted lines in Figure2) which inclose the axle shafts on which the I rear wheelsare directly mounted.

S9 much of the conventional track as has been described excepting the axle housin D is retained in the contemplated design 0 an original tractor embodyin the improved rear assembly, the adaptability of the new units being readily apparent.

In the present constructiom-Mxle housin 5' which may be readily gjjbstituted for t e commercial tractor.

end with an annular seat 9 for supporting a housings D and are attachable to the central differential housingC' in the same manner, to terminate in rearwardly inclined portions 6, the whole outer end being closed by an end' plate 7 which serves with a cap plate 8 to define a casing for the final drive units. Each housing is formed adjacent its inner central control unit (not shown) such as a controlled differential or steering clutch which is disposed within the central housing C. Extending from either side of the control unit are the counter-shafts 10 supported adjacent their outerends in a bearing 11. A brake .drum 12 disposed in a dry pocket 13 and a pinion 14 disposed in the casing for the final drive unit are keyed on the shaft'lO.

where they are held in place by a nut 15. The brake is to be used as a service brake and to assist in steering when the central control unit includes clutch mechanisms.

The pinion 14 meshes with a reduction gear 16 which is secured to a-sleeve hub 17 carrying the track drive sprocket 18, or, if. desired, a road wheel (not shown). In-

stead of the gear drive 1416 a chain drive might be used. The sleeve hub 17 is mounted on roller bearings 1920 carried on each end of a through shaft 21 which spans the opposite inclined portions 6 passing through bearings 22 therein and held by lock nuts 23. A draw .bar bracket 24 placed centrally ofthe through shaft may or may not be attached to the central housing C.

The track laying unit for each side of the 4 vehicle consists of the drive sprocket 18 and frontidler 25, about which is driven a track 26 having the customary inner rail on which run the supporting rollers 27. These rollers are carried in a truck frame 28 which also carries the front idler--25.

The forward end of the chassis (Fig. 5) is flexibly suspended on a leaf spring 29 whose endsare attached to the inner side of the truck frame 28. The frame is held in its "correct relative position with the chassis through a link 30 which at one end is pivoted in a bearing 31 to the frame and at the yother end to a bearin 32 on the forward under side of the axle housingfi. A spring 3301i axpilot rod 34 is confined between the frame and the link and provides a yielding suspension for the rear of the vehicle.

The adaptation of the present construc-' tion to the Fordson tractor will be readily apparent. By lowering the sup orting'axle of the drive sprocket and disp acing it to units having parallelthe rear track layin reaches of proper e ective' length may readily be substituted for the road wheels of the i If instead of replacin the track drive sprockets with road'whee s, it should be de sued to mount road wheels of greater diameter, the entire final reduction unit and its casing could be removed from the axle housing to permit such wheels to be mounted directly on .the counter-shafts 10 which could be lengthenedaccordingly.

While in the foregoing there has been illustrated and described such combination and arrangement of elements as constitute the preferred embodiment of my invention,

brake drum fixed on each shaft adjacent its outer end and disposed within the housing, a. pinion fixed on each shaft and disposed in the final drive casing, a through shaft spanning the inclined portions and mounted in the bearings thereof, sleeve hubs on the extremities of said shaft, and a pair of wheels carried by each hub, cne being a gear disposed within the final drive casing and meshing with the pinion'ou the countershaft and the other bein a track drive sprocket,

and means whereby a supporting truck frame may be attached to each axle housing. 2. In 'a vehicle, a rear assembly embodying axle housings adapted to be secured one to each side of a central power control unit housing, said housings formed with a rearwardly inclined portion having a bearing .and an end plate, an end cap attached exteriorly of the plate to form a final drive easing, counters afts within the housings, a

brake drum fixed on each shaft adjacent its outer end and disposed within the housin a pinion fixed on each shaft anddisposed 1n. the final drive casing, a through shaft spanning the inclined portions and mounted in the bearings thereof, sleeve hubs on the extremities of said shaft, a pair of wheelscarried by each hub, one'being a gear disposed within the final drive casing and meshin with the pinion on the countershaft an the other being a track drive sprocket.

3. In avehicle, a rear assembly embody ing axle housings adapted to be secured. one

to each sidetof a central power control unit housing, said housings formed with a rearward ly inclined portion having a bearing and an end late, an end cap attached 'exteriorly of t e plate to form a final drive casing, counter-shafts within the housings, a pinion fixed-on each shaft and disposed in the final drive casing, 21 through shaft spanningmthe inchned portions and mounted in the armgs thereof, sleeve hubs on the exremities of said shaft, and a pair of wheels :arried by each hub, one being a gear and lisposed within the final drive casing and neshing with the pinion on the counter- ;haft and the other being a track drive ;procket.

4. In a vehicle, a rear assembly embodying txle housings adapted to be secured one to. aach side of a central housing, said housings formed with a rearwardly inclined portion, tn end plate on each housing, an end cap at- :ached exteriorly of the plate to form a final lrive casing, counter-shafts within the hous- .ngs, a pinion fixed on each shaft and disoosed in the final drive casing, a gear wheel ,n said casings meshing with the pinion, a :leeve hub to which the gear wheel is at- :ached, means for supporting said hubs,

lriven wheels secured to the hubs exteriorly of the casings, andmeans whereby a sup-' porting truck frame may be attached to each axle housing when the vehicle is equipped wit-h self-laying track units. 7

5. In a vehicle, a rear assembly embody- ,ng axle housings adapted to be secured one each side of a central housing, said housings formed at their outer ends with extending portions, a final drive casing formed by the end piece of each housing, countershafts within the housings, a brake drum fixed on each shaft and disposed-in a pocket in the outer ends of the housin a pinion fixed on each shaft and disposecf in the final drive casing, agear wheel in said casing mesh-,

ing with the pinion, a through shaft exterior of the axle housings but passing through their extendin portions for supporting said gear wheels,w eels supported by said through shaft exterlorly of the casing and mounted to be. rotated (with thegear wheels, and

means whereby a supporting truck frame may-be attached to each axle housing when the vehicle is equipped with self-laying track units.

' 6, In a vehicle, a rear assembly embodying axle housings adapted to be secured one to each side of a central housing, said housings formed at their outer ends with extending portionsya final drive casing formed by the end piece of each housing, counter-shafts within the housings, a brake drum fixed on each shaft and disposed in a pocket in the outer ends of the housing, a pinion fixed on each shaft and disposed in the final drive casing, a gear wheel in said casing meshing with the pinion, a through shaft exterior ofthe axle housings but passing through their extending portions for supporting said gear wheels, and wheels supported by said through shaft exteriorly of the casing and mounted to be rotated with the gear wheels.

7. In a vehicle, a rear assembly embodying axle housings adapted to be secured one to each side of a central housing, said housings formed at their outer ends with extending portions, a final drive casing formed by the end piece of each housing, counter-shafts within-thehousings, a pinion fixed on each shaft and disposed in the final drive casing, a gear wheel in said casing meshing with the pinion, a through shaft exterior of the axle housings but passing through their extending portions for supporting said gear wheels, and wheels supported by said through shaft exteriorly of the casing and mounted to be rotated with the gear wheels.

EMIL F. "NoRELIus. 

